Most victims of the mafia are the Sicilians themselves. The role of women both as perpetrators and victims has been grossly overlooked. Until now.

As the daughter of Sicilian immigrants, in her teens Maria turns her back on her origins and fully embraces the English way of life. Notwithstanding her troubled and humble childhood in London, and backed up by her intelligence, beauty and sheer determination, she triumphantly works her way up to join the upper middle-class of British society. There she becomes a bastion of civility.

But a minor incident wakes up feelings of revenge in her like those lurking in Maria's Sicilian origins. As she delves deeper into her mother's family history a murky past unravels, drawing Maria more and more into a mire of vendetta.

Product description

Review

“The charm of reading this book is that: always, and I mean always, the reader is satisfied with the result.” Manuela Iordache

“Wow – this is a great story!” Phil Rowan

“An enthralling read on many levels.” Book Trail

“Certainly exciting and riveting reading.” Emma B Books

“I really enjoyed the book.” Pamela Lewis

“OUTSTANDING”Haley Norton

“It’s a must-read for mystery lovers.”

From the get-go (catchy title), The Sicilian Woman’s Daughter delivers an exciting multigenerational story. I enjoy reading fast-paced novels steeped in cultural drama. This one fulfills my love for mysteries and intrigue.

Linda Lo Scuro weaves the story about the daughter of Sicilian immigrants with layer upon layer of substance. Soak up the history and ride the turbulent waves of discovery as Maria learns about herself and the roles of women in the Sicilian families.

The novel The Sicilian Woman’s Daughter shows what it’s like to wake-up to your heritage and integrate that knowledge into your present life. It’s a must-read for mystery lovers. Carolyn Bowen

“A cracking good read”

This is a cracking good read and it brings to life the Sicilian family that Mary/Maria has tried to forget for over 30 years. Mary is married to Humphrey, a banker with two delightful daughters and a grandson. They live in an upmarket apartment and she has just retired from teaching in a series of prodigious schools. Despite her seemingly Englishness as the tale unfolds we learn of her connections to a family of women who are definitely Mafia and of her dreadful childhood of abuse and neglect. She has carefully created her place in society through her looks and intelligence making sure that her Sicilian family stays out of her life, that is until she reconnects with Zia her mother’s sister and through helping her she begins to expose dreadfully deeds that have occurred and are still occurring due to the women in her family. Her life is then torn apart by realising that she is just the same as her Sicilian family and she needs them to help her when the life of her immediate family is at risk.. A story that will bring alive the heat and the underbelly of life in a Mafia controlled Sicilian village. Ann Gough

“This is an addictive read from page one to last and thoroughly enjoyable!”

I have always considered women to be the 'power behind the throne' (I apologize to all those Queens like Her Majesty and her husband who has to walk BEHIND her) and this book proves it to be true. It was fascinating to read about how different her lives were depending on where she was or WHO she was that day.

This is an addictive read from page one to last and thoroughly enjoyable! Great book! Janet Cousineau

“Insightful, well written and I found the pace just right”

As I read this book I felt I was reading a true account of how ordinary lives can be turned upside down by family connections we try to remove ourselves (in this case the Mafia). Insightful, well written and I found the pace just right. The storyline took an interesting twist at the end which didn’t disappoint. Dawn D’auvin

About the Author

Although this title is fiction, because of the nature of this book the author wishes to remain anonymous. Linda Lo Scuro is a pen name.

No customer reviews

Review this product

Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon.com

Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars
14 reviews

Kiwes

3.0 out of 5 starsA Decent Read

31 October 2018 - Published on Amazon.com

This is a story told through Maria’s perspective. She takes you through her past and slowly brings you up to speed on the present. Some of Maria’s family appears to be a little envious of her, seeing as how she has a pretty decent life she lives, and it is within that time that she learns something awful from her Aunt Zia about their family. As the reader continues to follow Maria’s journey, it will become clear which side she embraces.

I must say the title of the book sounded very intriguing and I was excited to read the story, however, once I dove into the story, I found it to be a bit boring in sections and not enough character interaction. Actually, the story started out a little slow for me, and it picked up and engaged me more as the characters came into view, but I sometimes got confused as to which characters were doing what. I found that there were too many to keep up with at times.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read. It’s well written and engaging enough to hold a reader’s attention.

The Sicilian Woman’s Daughter is an engrossing novel with menace accompanying every character, as we weave through a precarious story of lives entwined with the Mafia. There is a simmering threat and unrelenting revelation about abuse and violence, that clings to a people steeped in the DNA of the Sicilian Mafia. “You no know a thing. In England accident happen, in Sicily accident organised.”

Mary (Maria) left Sicily as a young girl with her mother and father, returning only on short trips until she started University. Her early life was marred by physical abuse from her mother and her aunt Peppina, leaving her permanently physically damaged. Today Mary is a wealthy, refined, Englishwoman, happily married to Humps (Humphrey), with 2 daughters and a Grandson, and she has recently retired from teaching. The only connection Mary retained with her Sicilian background was with her facetious cousin Susi, at a similar age and as close as sisters. One day Mary gets a call from Susi asking her to meet with her mother, Zia (Mary’s other aunt). Zia was kind to Maria growing up and had immigrated to England shortly after Mary’s family, however, Mary hasn’t seen her aunt Zia since those early days, and she gives in to the request to meet. One quick meeting and she can go back to her normal life. Yeah Right! When they meet Zia pleads: “Yes, you come back tomorrow. You keep promise for Zia. I have friend. She have problem, she need you help.”

“We’re catapulted into this community, and through no fault of our own, we take the consequences. We try to figure out how to confront the dark side of life from childhood and through our teens when we don’t have the instruments to deal with it. And when you’re an adult, it leaves you with a painful black hole inside; and you’re forever trying not to go to that dark centre, moving around the perimeters and trying not to get swallowed up by it.”

Linda Lo Scuro does a remarkable job of portraying the ‘nature vs nurture’ dilemma that Mary faces and while she is a cultured English woman when we first meet her, she knows her wider family circle live amongst a relentless, unforgiving and ruthless culture. How much of that ‘nature’ element will come to the fore when she agrees to return to Sicily with her own family, to resolve a wider family matter? While the writing is excellent, the incidents described, the tension built, and the character interactions, all have a feel of authenticity.

Through the first half of the novel it lacked a bit of pace, but when Mary and her family decide to go to Sicily the pace picks up and the plot is darkly entertaining. I really like the characterisation of Mary, as she has this deeper, calculated and revengeful side that has been hidden, even from her own family. No-one is to be taken for granted in this novel and surprises are sprung at unlikely times keeping the reader fascinated until the end.

I disliked the cover. Not a point I normally make but it didn’t convey the intent or nature of the story. As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover because I would recommend this book.

I would like to thank Sparkling Books and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.

We’ve seen the mafia movies and been fascinated by them, but now, fans of the genre are in for a real treat: seeing this world through the eyes of its women. The protagonist, Mary, is complex. She’s engaging and likeable, but underneath the layers lurks a troubled upbringing. She’s Sicilian and living in England now with her adoring and charming husband. Readers will love him.

The present and the past intermingle to draw readers into a world painted brilliantly with sensory details. We discover Mary and have the pleasure of hearing about a fascinating group of colorful characters. The cultural details draw a more complete picture and create understanding. But we also are reminded that there are more sides to the cultural story, of course.

Mary has a good life with her professional husband, but when she visits her aunt Zia, she gets drawn into helping her help others…but not in the typical way. Mary ends up seemingly out of her comfort zone running interference for Zia, but while performing certain actions, Mary draws deeply of her Sicilian heritage and then remembers where her family came from and what they were capable of. She does help others, but at times, this includes teaching people lessons. Readers wonder, will Mary cross a certain line eventually? Will things escalate and change this good woman into something else?

There are the stereotypical violent men in this book who bully women. But do the women have a voice? Is there anything they can do? Scuro’s female characters use their strength and their power and show a side to the whole mafia picture that isn’t often shown. The women do surprising things, making for gripping story.

There is a quote in the book by the female lead that sums up the struggle: “[The abuse]…when you’re an adult, it leaves you with a painful black hole inside; and you’re forever trying not to go to that dark center, moving around the perimeters and trying not to get swallowed up by it” (168-169).

Mary ends up doing things one wouldn’t have thought her capable of. Does this change the way a reader will view her? At any rate, Mary brings up profound ideas such as what anyone is capable of given exposure to the right people and circumstances. There are surprises in this book and lots of food for thought. It is a worthwhile read.